Study on Maintenance and Utilization of Tamed Sumatran Elephants
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Advances in Biological Sciences Research, volume 14 Proceedings of the 3rd KOBI Congress, International and National Conferences (KOBICINC 2020) Study on Maintenance and Utilization of Tamed Sumatran Elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus Temminck 1847) at the Elephant Training Center in the Seblat TWA Area, Bengkulu Rizwar1,* Darmi1 C. H. Sukoco2 1Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Bengkulu, Kandang Limun, Bengkulu 38112, Indonesia 2Undergraduate Student, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Bengkulu, Kandang Limun, Bengkulu 38112, Indonesia Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT In the range of 23 years, from 1992 to 2015, there has been a drastic decrease in the number of individual tamed Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus Temminck 1847) at the Seblat Elephant Training Center (PLG) from 40 individuals to 18 individuals. Decreasing the size of the tamed elephant population is suspected to be inappropriate elephant maintenance at PLG, disease, old age and malnutrition. Good governance in the maintenance and utilization of tamed elephants at PLG is thought to be able to increase the life span of elephants and their reproductive capacity. This study aims to examine the management of PLG, especially in the maintenance and utization of tamed elephants conducted by BKSDA, Bengkulu Province. The study was conducted by direct survey method to PLG Seblat and interviewing as well as searching various relevant literatures. The parameters observed refer to the minimum standard reference for handling elephants in captivity. The results of the study found that the maintenance and utilization of the tamed elephants at PLG were only partially fulfilling the minimum standard of management of the guided elephants such as training, grazing, trekking and patrolling. While the form of maintenance that is still below the standard that needs to be improved is related to the handling of elephant health and mitigation of tamed elephant conflict with communities around the PLG Keywords: Sumatran Elephant, TWA and Seblat PLG, Maintenance and Utilization of tamed Elephants 1. INTRODUCTION The sustainability of the TWA Seblat forest is currently under threat because the forest land Seblat Nature Tourism Park (called TWA Seblat), contains relatively large coal reserves which have aside from being a habitat for endangered wildlife become the target of investors. In addition, the TWA conservation, is also used as a place for wild Elephant area is also surrounded by oil palm plantations from Training Centers (called PLG) to become tame large companies, transmigration areas and local elephants. TWA was established based on the communities who are hungry for land [2]. This proposal of the Head of regional office of the situation thought to have an impact on the lives of Forestry Ministry and the recommendation of the elephant populations and other wildlife in it. Wild Governor of Bengkulu Province Number: 522/7754 / elephant populations in the Seblat forest area to split B / 1992. The Minister of Forestry of the Republic of into two sub-populations. The first sub-population is Indonesia confirmed the existence of TWA Seblat in the downstream Air Senaba-Air Rami trapped in covering an area of ± 7. 737 ha, through Decree No. situ in the Seblat TWA area due to the presence of a 643 / Kpts-II / 2011 [1]. barrier in the form of a large plantation area of PT. Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press B.V. This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license -http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. 187 Advances in Biological Sciences Research, volume 14 Alno and the second sub-population inhabit the (treatment) activities which include the timing upstream Air Seblat and Upstream Air Rami forests of periodic vaccines. In addition, also outside the TWA Seblat area [3]. Trapped conditions observed ways to care for nails, weight in the TWA area have caused elephant populations to weighing, and height measurements. often enter and damage the plantation and 2. Elephant training, what things are taught in agricultural crops of the communities around TWA. training elephants and what training methods The Elephant Training Center (PLG) was built aimed are used. at capturing wild elephants that are often in conflict with humans, then tamed through training and 3. Grazing, is elephant grazing activities carried maintenance as well as being used as a tourist out by mahout directing elephants to bathe and eat in the space provided. attraction, repelling wild elephants that enter community land and forest patrols [3-5]. 4. Trekking is a mahout riding an elephant by walking along the edge of the forest with a In 1992, the Seblat forest area which included number of tourists. Any activities carried out TWA and its surroundings, had around 375 - 390 by elephants during trekking are recorded. individuals of wild elephants and domesticated (scouted) elephants in PLG as many as 40 individuals 5. Patrols namely mahouts bring elephants into [6]. When this study was conducted, based on the forest and oversee the Seblat TWA forest Bengkulu BKSDA information, the number of area. The purpose of the patrol is recorded. remaining wild elephants trapped in the Seblat TWA 6. Conflict mitigation, where TWA Seblat tamed area was estimated to be around 40-50 individuals elephants in conflict with local communities and 18 tamed elephants. Thus in 23 years, there has often occur. Any mitigation efforts undertaken been a drastic decrease in the number of Sumatran by PLG officers to deal with the conflict of elephants in both the wild elephant population and fostered elephants are also noted. the tamed elephant. Data on utilization and maintenance of tamed The decline in the population of wild elephants in elephants in PLG Seblat, Regency of North Bengkulu the Seblat TWA area is due to reduced forest habitat in Bengkulu Province was analyzed qualitatively and area due to illegal logging and poaching [5], while described descriptively. the decline in the population of tamed elephants in PLG is thought to be due to poor management, 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION disease, old age and malnutrition. Good governance in the maintenance and utilization of fostered In general, the care and utilization of Sumatran elephants in Captivity can increase the chances of elephants in Seblat PLG have relatively met the elephant life and reproductive capacity [7]. This standards based on the guidance of the management study aims to examine the management of PLG, of tamed elephants from [8-11] except in the curative especially in the utilization and maintenance of and conflict mitigation activities which have so far fostered elephants conducted by BKSDA Bengkulu not met the standards yet (Table 1). Province. From field observations, individual elephants fostered in the Seblat PLG captivity are very 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS susceptible to various diseases such as diarrhea, tetanus, tuberculosis (TB), ectoparasites such as lice This research was conducted for one month from (mites) and bloodsucking insects, endoparasites such October to December 2016, with an effective as liver worms (Fasciola), mine or bracelet worms observation period for 30 days starting at 08.00-16.00 and others. This is because the types of feed plants WIB at the Elephant Training Center (PLG) Seblat, that are given are less varied, contact with humans Bengkulu Utara Regency. infected with tuberculosis both inside and outside the The study was conducted by direct survey method PLG is very intense, the feed provided is not clean so (direct survey) in the field and interviewing elephant it is likely to have been contaminated with worm handlers (mahout) as well as by collecting supporting eggs and fostered elephants are often used for data from various relevant literature. The parameters herding, trekking and patrol so the chances of injury observed refer to the guide for management of tamed and infection are quite high. elephants from [5-6], [9-10] which include: From the study of [12] found that the most 1. Elephant health, which is in the form of common ectoparasites attacking PLG-tamed preventive (preventative) and curative elephants were blood-sucking Diptera of Culicoides 188 Advances in Biological Sciences Research, volume 14 fulvusin while endoparasites were types of worms The health of elephants in captivity should have a Fasciola, Toxocara and Oxyuris. Parasitosis such as hospital building, clinic or ward, laboratory room, helminthiasis (nematods) is one of the most common quarantine room, isolation room and adequate diseases in elephant breeding. Fasciola liver worms veterinary or medical staff. The unavailability of and nematods are known to be a cause of death for complete facilities is the main factor causing diseased elephants fostered by Aek Nauli Elephant elephants to be handled properly. Inadequate and Conservation Camp, North Sumatra and Way fast handling of curatives, inadequate medical Kambas PLG, Lampung [11], [13-14] and several devices and medicines are the determining factors for elephant individuals in PLG Seblat. the death of tamed elephants in Captivity [15-16]. Table 1. Management of tamed Sumatran elephants at PLG Seblat, Bengkulu Standard based on BKSDA (2004) *, Sarma & No Management Type Wardana (2004) ** and Syamsuardi et al. (2001) Observation results ***. 1. Elephant Health** -Preventive action Giving worm medicines periodically, cleaning nail, Meet standard